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Thirst for oil and support of oil industry threatens life as we know it | Opinion

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Published 12:01 a.m. ET July 29, 2018

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In this video prepared by Enbridge, the company provides an overview of two Line 5 oil pipeline alternatives in the Straits of Mackinac.
Enbridge, Detroit Free Press

A diver working on behalf of the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation inspects the Line 5 oil pipelines at the lake bottom in the Straits of Mackinac during a July 2013 dive.(Photo: National Wildlife Federation)

Two billion dollars for a “worst-case scenario oil spill” from Enbridge Line 5 is chump change in contrast to the potential detriment to our planet and humankind.

Have we forgotten that the Great Lakes supply 20% of our planet’s fresh water? Or are we too busy selling it to Nestle to fret over its abundance and integrity? As ice caps and glaciers rapidly disappear under increasing global temperatures, our dwindling reservoirs are treated as potential financial inconveniences and exciting business ventures. My short days of trusting Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration to determine and address any environmental calamity ended with Flint, and I find the mention of a spill’s impact on tourism to be laughable.

The oil industry, and society’s obsession with consuming oil and enabling that industry, will continue to irreversibly eliminate the necessary resources for life on this planet if we continue in this direction.

Christal Medel

Dearborn

GOP candidates spew hatred

Wonder how many have noticed the differences between the political ads of the Democrats and Republicans? While the Democrats talk about the issues and helping make life better for people, the Republicans all spout hatred and non-wavering allegiance to Trump.

One touts that he's a "warrior" as if that is something to brag about. They all talk about securing the border. They want to build the "wall" which means using taxpayer money.

Not one word about the environment, people's rights, health or anything else on a positive level. I hope voters in Michigan have sense enough to ignore those hate-filled rants and vote in positivity for our state.

This country is rapidly sliding into a dictatorship and if any more of the Republicans' disastrous rules and regulations are set in place we, and consequently the country, won't survive.

Kenneth Hall

Highland Park

Impeachment effort shameful

Some House Republicans, in order to protect the president, want to impeach Rod Rosenstein although he is executing his job faithfully and lawfully.

Meanwhile, those same House Republicans sit by idly as the most vile and corrupt president in our history goes unchecked. Shameful.

Remember in November.

Patrick Peirce

Clinton Township

Alternative idea for Schuette

I have a possible compromise to Bill Schuette's idea that members of the LGBT community don't qualify for protection under the civil rights laws.

Simply deny those rights to any member of the LGBT "community" who are NOT taxpaying American citizens and Michigan residents. Of course, that also means that any "straight" people who also aren't taxpaying American citizens should too, be denied those same rights.

Kenneth G. Maluchnik

Lincoln Park

Putin got a hole in one

We see Trump is playing golf with American foreign policies.

When he messed up in Helsinki he asked for a mulligan, a do-over.

While Putin scored a hole in one.

Gerald Krajewski

Dearborn

Time for Democrats to go low

According to a well-known saying, you should "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." The point is that keeping an eye on your opponent is even more important than knowing what your friends are doing. Democrats need to learn from Republicans that ads and campaigns that speak to voters' fears and anger win elections.

Michelle Obama said, "when they go low, we go high." This sounds noble, but it doesn't address the grim reality being created by the party in power. Where are the ads and slogans that show what happens when a family's breadwinner gets sick and has no health insurance? What about the thousands of young people who want to better themselves by going to college but face a mountain of debt? How about the prospect of women's lives being destroyed by unintended pregnancies when abortion is made illegal?

Another well-known saying defines insanity as repeating the same failed action over and over again and thinking each time that the outcome will be different. Democrats need to stop repeating the same failed strategies. Once Democrats become the majority party, then they can "go high."

Barry Knister

Pleasant Ridge

Lipton deserves vote in 9th District

The Free Press endorsement for the 9th Congressional District Democratic primary was notable for what was omitted.

While the paper explained that its decision was based on the chosen candidate’s professional experience, no explanation was given as to why successful legislative experience possessed by another candidate was given no weight.

Also, the Free Press opined that family connections of the person it selected gave him an advantage. However, with the #MeToo movement finally opening doors of power to women, why did the fact that there is a strong female candidate in the field get ignored? Might that not also confer advantages as the old ways of doing business in Washington are changing?

Ellen Lipton served me well as my state representative and has an impressive professional resume. She has earned my vote on Aug. 7th.

Cheryl Riskin

Huntington Woods

Keep SMART for seniors

I am an 85-year-old woman and use the SMART bus regularly. I go to the Sterling Heights Senior Center to play cards, Bingo, Bunco and to the monthly lunches. Trips to the markets and/or big box stores are offered weekly. Most of the time when I ride the bus there is a gentleman in a wheelchair and other riders with handicaps or disabilities. Rides to doctor's appointments are also offered.

Many seniors and handicapped people have no relatives or friends nearby to help. Although the proposed millage renewal on the Aug. 7 primary ballot is nominal, I suggest every rider pay a fare. Seniors now get free passes.

If this millage proposal is defeated it will be a true hardship for many people. Uber and Lyft can be expensive for those of us on a fixed income and would perhaps be used only for necessary trips. Is Uber or Lyft equipped to handle a wheelchair or other equipment necessary for someone with a handicap? SMART bus is a necessary and important means of community transportation. Please vote to keep our SMART bus available for those of us that need it.

Joan R. Smith

Sterling Heights

Trump, Rouhani act like children

Donald Trump and Hassan Rouhani, two adult leaders, are throwing power around like sandlot kids. Trump (who avoided the draft), has the audacity to threaten the sending of our servicemen and women into harm’s way, on one of his emotional whims.

Bob Burkett

Westland

DeVos student-loan proposal insane

Betsy DeVos has rolled out new rules for handling the fraud and deceit that for-profit colleges have perpetrated on their students. The proposed rules require students to prove that they have fallen into deep financial distress or that schools intentionally deceived them if they want their federal loans canceled.

This is insane. How can a student prove intent? This would be like not holding a murderer accountable because you can’t prove he meant to kill someone. Fraud is fraud, regardless of whether you can prove it is intentional or not.

Lee Knohl

Evanston, Ill.

Michigan November Election Voter Guide

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